Get a Leg Up on the Competition the Chic Way

Chic Entrepreneurs know that it takes more than good looks to make it in the business world today. It takes intelligence, diligence and creativity to get a business up and running in high heels. The choices you make about how you spend your free time will have a critical effect on determining your success and ultimate happiness in life. Chic success is created by those who spend their quality time looking, listening and learning and then intelligently sharing their knowledge with the world using their own words. Here are five ways the Chic Entrepreneur stays ahead of the competition:

1. She turns off the TV. Do you feel like you don’t have enough hours during the day to accomplish all that you want? Take a look at how much TV you watch. Television can become a drain on your time, not to mention a drain on your brain. If you can’t live without your favorite show, give yourself that treat, then promptly turn off the TV or leave the den once it is over. Do yourself a favor and keep this guilty pleasure under wraps; no one sounds intelligent rehashing a night of reality TV. There is nothing chic about vegging on the couch all night, with the remote in one hand and a bag of chips in the other. Every moment spent watching fake people lead make-believe lives inside an electronic box, is a missed moment in your own life. Chic Entrepreneurs make their own reality, instead of settling for the TV version. Remember that you are in control of the TV, not the other way around.

2. She reads a book a week. Chic Entrepreneurs read voraciously and I’m not talking about People magazine or Perez Hilton’s blog. Chic Entrepreneurs read in all genres and they keep a good book or a Business Week in their bag at all times. Slowly replace those trashy romance novels with educational and inspirational books. For the ultimate in multi-tasking, look for books that combine entertaining stories with business lessons. A Chic Entrepreneur finds a way to have fun while gaining knowledge that empowers her to achieve her goals.

3. She puts on chic sunglasses and becomes a spy. Listen to the marketplace: your customers, competitors, business leaders in and outside your industry, the media, and your employees. Business ideas and best practices are all around us, all they need is your unique spin on them. Great new ideas come from combining other previous ideas, so mix and match elements that you see working to create your own epiphany. Sprinkle your brilliance on other’s ideas and make them your own. If you tune your mind into the ideas swirling around your universe you are bound to snag a great business idea and Chic Entrepreneurs do this regularly.

4. She writes it down! Chic Entrepreneurs know that the pen is mightier than the sword. Whether you write for fun, write to keep track of your ideas or write for the betterment of your business, getting in the habit of writing, is good for every business owner. Keep a small notebook and a pen with you at all times in case a good idea comes your way. Then, you can jot it down and not have to think to yourself, “What was that thing I wanted to remember?” When it’s important, don’t leave your memory to chance; amateurs remember, professionals write it down.

5. She makes powerful statements. Now that you have all these smart things to say, make sure you say them chicly. Being well-spoken and well-written is an important part of being chic. Success is a combination of walking the walk and talking the talk. If communication is not your strong suit, consider taking a class on business writing or a grammar refresher or hiring a PR firm to handle this function for you. We’ve all met people we instantly knew were successful as soon as they opened their mouth, and we’ve also met people who give the opposite verbal impression. The Chic Entrepreneur knows it’s the quality of the message that’s important not the number of words used, so choose wisely. Those who speak just to hear the sound of their own voice or those who seem unable to turn off their verbal faucet will soon irritate those with better self-control. Being able to comment succinctly or explain a complex idea or opinion in simple terms makes a memorable impression of class and intelligence.

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